WASHINGTON, D.C. –The Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas Tony Babauta has awarded $790,000 in Water and Wastewater grant funding to support water and wastewater infrastructure improvements serving the villages of Malojloj, Inarajan, Merizo, Umatac, and Agat.

"OIA works closely with all island governments to prioritize infrastructure improvements; with limited resources we do our best to address the highest needs, often guided by the courts, critical to ensure the health and safety of our island communities,” said Babauta. “The grant to Guam Waterworks Authority enables the agency to respond to a 2003 stipulated court order to improve delivery of clean water and treatment of wastewater to the residents and businesses in the south.”

According to the Guam Waterworks Authority, the funding will be used to replace existing pumps with new energy efficient pumps and motors at the Malojloj Line Water Booster Pump Station (WBPS), a critical facility to GWA’s Southern Water System. With no previous upgrades or renovations since being built in the 1980’s, Malojloj’s WBPS is the first in a series of several stations that serves the villages of Southern Guam with potable water.